Exercise is recognized as an important aspect of maintaining or improving one's health at any age. Aquatic exercise is a very pleasant way to exercise the muscles and the cardio-vascular system because the body is cooled by the water and the movements are relatively smooth, rhythmic and easily moderated so that the chance of injury is greatly reduced. Water also increases the amount of effort needed to move the arms or legs in any direction, thus providing an excellent medium in which to exercise the entire body.
Various devices have been produced to facilitate the act of propelling oneself through the water by swimming with hand paddles or flippers on the feet. One device, U.S. Pat. No. 2,850,748, has been designed for use in performing certain aquatic exercises as well as for swimming. However, such a prior device does not recognize the advantage of providing multiple surfaces so configured as to enable the user to perform a broader range of exercises by being able to move the device in any direction through the water.
Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,142, dated Nov. 18, 1986, relates to a hand-held, multi-directional device for aquatic exercising having a hollow central handle with outwardly facing, hollow funnel supports attached at each end thereof, so that water can flow through the hollow spaces in the funnel supports and into the handle. The funnel supports each contain vanes extending within the hollow spaces and protruding to varying extents through the funnel supports to their exteriors, so as to provide varying resistances to movement of the device through the water. The funnels and vanes also function to provide a high degree of stability to the device as it is moved through the turbulence of the aquatic medium.